Sunday, December 6, 2015

60 years

It has been a busy week. The usual stuff Monday to Wednesday, the usual trip to handle Dad's affairs on Thursday, my performance group playing on Friday, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra doing a dynamite performance of Mahler's Symphony #2 last night.

Bits of news from the week:

Michigan state House representative Tom Hooker (R), is introducing a resolution calling on the state to reclaim its sovereignty by not recognizing the decision by the Supremes that allows same-sex marriage. Hooker said, "The Supreme Court is not a Legislature. Courts do not substitute their social and economic beliefs for the judgment of of legislative bodies or elected and passed laws." Well, actually, the Constitution says the courts do impose their beliefs over legislatures and passed laws.

We've known GOP candidates intend to "stack" the Supremes with as many hardcore conservatives as possible (see: Alito, Roberts, Scalia, and Thomas). Ted Cruz is now making that a part of his reasons to vote for him. He will make sure there are no "squishies" (not Cruz's term) such as Brennan, Warren, Stevens, Souter, and Blackmun who were nominated by GOP presidents and sided with liberals on important issues. Warren and Stevens even led the court's liberal wing. Cruz forgot to mention Kennedy as someone who doesn't follow the party line.

Just remember that if Cruz ever gets his way a future court will gut same-sex marriage and the Affordable Care Act, end minimum wage, and dissolve federal oversight of the environment. For starters.

I had told you about Alabama closing most of its driver's license offices, targeting those in areas with a high black population. The NAACP has now brought a suit against the state.

It has now been 60 years since Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a bus. That has brought out stories about how much of a freedom fighter Parks was before that bus ride. It is a story we seldom hear. What we usually hear is that Parks was tired that day. That often told misconception prompted Melissa McEwen of Shakesvilleto write:

It's only tempting to exploit time to de-radicalize Rosa Parks' (and other black women's) lives and actions if one seeks to conceal the oppression that necessitates their radicalism.

Translation: Don't mind Rosa, such a sweet lady. She just had a bad day. Nothing to see here.